- The M-Pesa Foundation, in partnership with the County Government of Makueni, has commissioned a modern maternity wing at Mutulani Dispensary to improve maternal and child healthcare services.
- The initiative is part of a broader investment drive that includes upgrading hospitals, equipping health facilities, and strengthening access to quality healthcare across Makueni County.
- Leaders and residents have praised the project for reducing maternal health risks, improving dignity in childbirth, and bringing essential services closer to the community.
In the heart of Makueni County, a quiet revolution in maternal and child healthcare is unfolding, bringing renewed hope, dignity, and safety to mothers and newborns. For many years, expectant mothers in remote parts of Mutulani struggled with long distances to health facilities, poor road networks, and limited financial resources, often forcing them to deliver under unsafe conditions. Today, that story is changing.
Residents are now celebrating the launch of a modern maternity wing at Mutulani Dispensary, a KSh17 million facility constructed and fully equipped by the M-Pesa Foundation in partnership with the County Government of Makueni. The facility is part of a wider initiative aimed at strengthening maternal and child health services across the county and improving access to quality healthcare at the community level.
Speaking during the official opening, Governor Mutula Kilonzo Junior lauded the partnership, noting that it reflects the power of collaboration in transforming healthcare delivery. He announced plans to elevate Mutulani Dispensary to a level three health facility, with the county government committing to provide the necessary staffing and infrastructure to meet required standards. He emphasized that the goal is to ensure residents receive accessible and high quality healthcare services closer to their homes.
“This county has fostered and enabled environment for partnerships just because of being transparent thus attracting every other investor including us,” he said.
M-Pesa Foundation representative Paul Kasimu highlighted that Makueni County has distinguished itself as a strong model for partnership and accountability among the 47 counties. He noted that this environment has attracted sustained investment from development partners. He added that while the new maternity wing is a significant milestone, its impact will only be fully realized with adequate deployment of healthcare workers to ensure mothers receive timely and professional care.
Kasimu also emphasized the need to strengthen educational outcomes alongside infrastructure development, expressing concern over the performance of Mutulani Secondary School despite a KSh7.5 million investment in a modern ICT centre equipped with computers. He urged education stakeholders to ensure that such investments translate into meaningful long term impact.
He said, “I am actually disappointed, kindly pull up your socks,” calling on school leadership and stakeholders to improve performance so that the benefits of such investments are fully realized in academic outcomes.
Over the years, M-Pesa Foundation has implemented several transformative health projects in Makueni County. These include a Sh60 million upgrade at Sultan Hamud Sub County Hospital featuring a 50 bed capacity ward, a theatre, and a neonatal intensive care unit serving both Makueni and neighbouring Kajiado residents. In addition, a Sh27 million maternal and child health unit at Tawa Sub County Hospital has significantly improved service delivery for thousands of residents and reduced referrals to distant facilities.
The newly launched Mutulani maternity wing adds to this growing network of healthcare investments, helping to reduce maternal risks and ensuring that mothers can safely deliver within their communities. The initiative also aligns with broader national and global efforts to reduce maternal and newborn mortality by improving access to skilled birth attendance and emergency obstetric care.
County Executive Committee Member for Health Joyce Mutua noted that Makueni has now achieved the World Health Organization recommended distance to a health facility, a milestone that underscores the county’s commitment to universal health coverage and equitable access to healthcare services.
Residents have welcomed the development with deep appreciation. Justina Ndanu, a local resident, recalled the challenges mothers previously endured, including long journeys to deliver and the fear and uncertainty that came with limited access to medical care. She described the new facility as a source of safety and dignity for mothers in the region, expressing gratitude for the partnership that made it possible.
“We used to walk long distances to deliver but now, with the launch of this modern maternity wing the locals feel safe,” she remarked, adding that poor roads and lack of transport money had long made childbirth a painful and uncertain experience.
Beyond infrastructure development, M-Pesa Foundation has also supported medical outreach programs and community empowerment initiatives such as the Ndoto Zetu initiative, further extending its impact across the county.
As Makueni continues to position itself as a model for effective public private partnerships, the Mutulani maternity wing stands as a powerful symbol of what collaboration, accountability, and targeted investment can achieve in transforming lives at the grassroots level.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Makueni County Launches Universal Healthcare Registration to Benefit 200,000 Residents
